Most of the deaths have occurred among people 65 or older, a reflection that the most common strain of the virus this season – Influenza A H3N2 – tends to affect older people more severely. Four were children under 18.

The prevalence of flu has continued to rise in North Carolina since the middle of January, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. A survey of clinics, hospitals and health departments found that more than 7 percent of visits were for patients with flu-like illnesses, up from a little more than 2 percent in mid-January.

Sign Up and Save

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in February that the flu vaccine protects about half the people who receive it – better than in some years but not as good as in others. Health officials say it’s still not too late to get vaccinated.

Read Next

The News & Observer’s former property on McDowell Street, which covers nearly a city block in downtown Raleigh, will become the site of a mixed-use complex. A 15-story office tower is the first phase of the project. The second phase includes residences.